He was born March 19, 1935, to Dean and Loraine Smith in Beaver, Okla.

He married Suellyn Joyce Canon Aug. 18, 1984, in Denver.

He graduated from Liberal High School and attended Texas A&M. He graduated in 1958 from the University of Oklahoma with a BS in chemical engineering. He returned to OU and obtained his MS in chemical engineering. In 1974, he received a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Colorado University.

In 1959, he served his country in the Unites States Marine Corps. He was honorably discharged from active duty as a first lieutenant in 1962. He was a professional engineer for Shell Oil, senior development officer at Chemstrand Co., senior research engineer of petroleum for Phillips Oil Co., deputy chief of process control at Dames & Moore. In 1993, Wayne moved to Oklahoma City to work for Tetra-Tech, from there he retired.

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About The High Plains Daily Leader

The High Plains Daily Leader and Southwest Daily Times are published Sunday through Friday and reaches homes throughout the Liberal, Kansas retail trade zone. The Leader & Times is the official newspaper of Seward County, USD No. 480, USD No. 483 and the cities of Liberal and Kismet. The Leader & Times is a member of the Liberal Chamber of Commerce, the Kansas Press Association, the National Newspaper Association and the Associated Press.

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